Knicks rookie center Marshall Plumlee had visions of how his NBA debut would come about, but could never have imagined this, arriving midway through the first quarter after a harried commute and dash through the streets of Manhattan.

“It was crazy,’’ Plumlee said. “I feel I could write a book about it.’’

It started with a 10 a.m. emergency phone call from a Knicks official to his Westchester apartment, telling him center Joakim Noah was sent home sick, and the club needed him for the noon game against the Hawks. Plumlee had been assigned to the D-League and played his second game for Westchester on Saturday night.

Plumlee didn’t arrive home until well after midnight as he hung with his brother, Mason, in town with the Trail Blazers here to face the Nets. Plumlee also spent extra time with a shooting coach after Saturday’s D-League game. He was slated to play again Sunday for Westchester in a 5 p.m. start.

“I was asleep,’’ Plumlee said. “I was going to sleep in a little bit. Imagine being woken up and saying, ‘Hey, we need you to guard Dwight Howard.’’’

Living near a Metro-North station, Plumlee elected to take the express train to Grand Central. That went well, but the cab ride to the Garden didn’t. Stuck in traffic, Plumlee said he paid the cab driver to dash through at least one red light.

But eventually, after a $60 tip, Plumlee hopped out. Traffic was too severe, and the 7-footer bolted the final few blocks to the Garden.

“I sprinted over as fast as I could,’’ Plumlee said. “… My phone was blowing up: ‘Are you almost here? Are you almost here?’ I don’t think they realize those texts just slow you down so I put the phone away.

“But I got here. They said, ‘Do you need a warm-up?’

“I’m already warm. I ran here.’’

Plumlee got to the bench, and with starter Kyle O’Quinn in foul trouble, the rookie from Duke got the call in the second quarter, sprinting downcourt on his first possession. He played 5:26 total, grabbing a rebound but also having Howard spin away from him to catch an alley-oop dunk. Yes, Plumlee wasn’t exactly as prepared as he could have been.

“No one’s fault,’’ said Plumlee, who had dressed in just one other game. “Nobody could’ve predicted this on short notice. I want to emphasize it’s nobody’s fault. They sent me to the D-League to develop, and I’m getting better.